Political notebook

Photographs of a local California Republican Assembly club member snapped by a member of its rival CRA club were sent to The Signal alleging the photographed woman was stalking the rival group.

The photographer who stalked and photographed the alleged stalker, however, was not identified.

No free campaign stunt lunch

Republican congressional candidate Dante Acosta has offered to take Congressman Howard “Buck” McKeon’s place at a luncheon date with Democratic candidate Lee Rogers, but there are no empty places at the table — yet.

Rogers, who has filed to unseat McKeon in this year’s elections, bought himself a “power lunch” with his opponent at a March 5 fundraising auction at College of the Canyons.

McKeon, expected to honor the lunch date, responded to the news by applauding Rogers for contributing to the fundraiser.

But the congressman has a problem with the other luncheon guests.

Allowed three guests for the event, Rogers said he plans to invite three reporters.

The congressman said he’s OK with the lunch, but not with a campaign publicity stunt.

The official written response sent by his Washington office staff reads: “Congressman McKeon welcomes a lunch with Mr. Rogers, but he doesn’t want a charitable donation turned into a campaign event.

“If Mr. Rogers wants to bring reporters to a lunch meeting, Mr. McKeon would readily do so following the election.”

Acosta, who filed to run against McKeon as a Republican, offered to take the congressman’s place at the table, citing McKeon’s “unresponsiveness.”

Acosta reportedly extended the offer after reading Web postings that Rogers was unable to schedule a date after numerous attempts.

“I know from firsthand experience the difficulty in obtaining a meeting with Congressman McKeon and how frustrating it can be dealing with his office, so I decided to offer to have lunch with Dr. Rogers myself and he has agreed,” Acosta said in a media release.

“I also told Dr. Rogers to invite any members of the media he wishes. I’m not afraid to speak in front of the press.”

On the menu: crow.

Spring blooms with debate

It’s the arrival of spring, and election candidates are springing to the podium to express themselves ... well, most of them are.

Two public debates were scheduled for early spring: one Friday at the Tournament Players Club at Valencia hosted by the Santa Clarita Valley chapter of the Los Angeles Lincoln Clubs, and the other Tuesday at College of the Canyons, hosted by the college’s Associated Student Government.

Each debate was billed as a 38th Assembly District seat forum for candidates.

The college group is inviting all students and community members to a “public candidate forum” of the four individuals seeking election to California’s 38th Assembly District this November.

Invitations have been sent to Democrat Edward Headington and Republicans Patricia McKeon, Paul Strickland and Scott Wilk.

Two are expected to attend; two have declined.

Wilk and Headington are set to talk while McKeon — wife of Congressman Howard “Buck” McKeon, R-Santa Clarita — and Strickland have chosen to sit this one out.

The debate is set to take place from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday in the College of the Canyons cafeteria, located in the Valencia campus’ Student Center.

The forum will begin with each candidate delivering an opening statement before being asked to answer several pre-formulated questions that will be directed toward all participants.

Feuding Republicans

Two feuding Republican groups faced their day of judgment on the issue of endorsements recently.

On March 14, state GOP leaders upheld a controversial recommendation that emerged from an endorsement convention held in the Santa Clarita Valley two weeks earlier in which one of two groups was ruled ineligible to submit a recommendation.

Two local Republican groups officially recognized by the California Republican Assembly were brought together March 1 with the hope of recommending candidates for Santa Clarita City Council positions.

The two local CRA groups, each represented at the local endorsing convention by five-member delegations, were:

n The Santa Clarita Valley Republican Assembly, led by President Wendy Albright, recommending Bob Kellar and TimBen Boydston for endorsement.

On March 1, CRA Parliamentarian Steve Frank told Albright’s group its CRA paperwork wasn’t in order, disqualifying it from making an official endorsement recommendation.Albright issued a formal complaint.

On March 14, CRA President Celeste Greig and other CRA board members met in Santa Clarita to address Albright’s complaint and, in the end, upheld Frank’s earlier assessment.